Rage in Death - Survivor

Others tried to Survive on that first day...

Drayton sat in the kitchen, eating a plate of scrambled eggs. It was early in the morning, and he had to get his kids up and off to school. The cool morning air rushed in through a window, sending a slight shiver down his spine. His wife had left earlier in the morning, she had to drive all the way to the city, about an hour’s drive. Drayton just had to drive to Blue Water, open up his Shop there. A small grocery, just basic foods, nothing special. He stood up and walked over to his porch door. He looked through the glass as he scratched his beard. He slid it open and walked out onto the porch over-looking the lake. He looked over the perfectly blue water, glistening in the morning sun, wind blowing through his black hair. Out across the water was the town of Blue Water, a small community. It was only one street, much smaller than the farther away Peakdale, just up stream. As Drayton stared out over the water, on this beautiful day, he couldn’t help a strange feeling of dread from over-taking his body. It was odd, but he felt this nice weather was a trick, that this day would turn into something he would remember as awful, not beautiful.

“Dad?” Drayton heard behind him. He turned and saw his Twelve year old son, Nicholas, standing in the doorway. His long black hair nearly stretching down to his orange t-shirt. His tired brown eyes stared at Drayton in what could only be described as a daze. “Dad, did you make breakfast yet?” Nicholas asked, rubbing his eye.

“Yes, yes. It’s out on the table, go enjoy, Nick.” Drayton answered. Nick walked off to eat, and Drayton headed back inside to wake his Daughter.

Upstairs, Drayton found his daughter Seventeen year old Daughter Maggie lying in bed. Blonde hair all unkempt, her small figure all spread out. She was sound asleep, not wanting to go to the first day of school.

“Maggie, it’s time to get up. Come on.”

Maggie rolled over and looked at Drayton with her big blue eyes, “Please don’t make me go...”

“This isn’t me making you, you have to go.”

“Just one more day, I promise I’ll go tomorrow.”

“This isn’t up for debate Maggie, now get up.”

Maggie sighed and got up, freshened up, and walked downstairs.

“Morning Freak.” Maggie said as she walked past Nick.

“Morning stupid.” Nick replied.

“Alright stop it both of you.” Drayton said, Maggie and Nick both giggled. Drayton couldn’t help smiling too. Hearing them bicker just reminded him that they were brother and sister, he thought it was annoying, but sweet in a way.

“You two ready for the first day of school?” Drayton asked his kids.

“No.” They both answered.

Drayton huffed a short laugh, “Well your both going anyway, so I’d start getting mentally prepared.”

“What are you doing today Dad?” Nick asked, right before taking a big sip of Milk.

“Well, I’m going to go to the shop, open up like I did all summer, and last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, etc.”

“What did you think he would do?” Maggie said smugly.

“I don’t know, get off my back.” Nick said, but Drayton wasn’t paying attention anymore. He was distracted by a shape he could see coming running out of the forest. It was a man, limping and clutching his arm.

Drayton, Maggie, and Nick all ran out the front door to see what was happening. The man was continuing to do a fast limp towards them.

“Hey!” He shouted “Help me!”

“Nick, go inside and soak a towel with some warm water. Maggie, go get some medicine and band-aids. Both of you go. Now!”

“Alright, geez.” Nick said, and the two went back into the house. The man ran up to Drayton, and bent over, clutching his arm to his stomach. Drayton leaned over and placed his hand on the mans shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know man, I was just driving my truck and some f*****g mad man ran out in front of it.” The man said, shaking violently “I got out to help him. I walked over to him and... and... he just f*****g sat up and bit me.” The man said, pulling his arm away from his stomach and revealing a massive bloody bite mark.

“Alright, don’t worry.It’s gonna be alright, we just have to get you inside, then we’ll bring you to town and...”

“No man, not back to town. They were coming from Peakdale, all of them.”

“They? You only mentioned one man?”

“No.” The man said weakly. Drayton looked up and past the man, and saw several figures darting out in between trees, moving closer and closer to the house. Suddenly he heard the door open, “Dad we got the stuff.” He heard Maggie shout.

“Get back inside, now!” Drayton shouted back. He lifted the man to his feet and hurried him inside.

Once inside, Drayton walked the man to the living room. He told Maggie to close and lock the door, and told Nick to close all the blinds. He sat the man down in a chair and began to clean his arm.

“Maggie, unwrap some gauze for me.” Drayton told his daughter, Maggie did just that. “Sir, whats you name?”

“Shane, my names Shane.”

“Well Shane, your going to be fine.” Drayton said as Maggie wrapped the gauze around his arm.

“Thank You for your kindness.” Shane told Drayton.

“It’s not trouble. Nick, show Shane to the guest room. He’ll stay here until we can sort this out.” Drayton said, as he said that, a banging came from the door. The four could hear moans and shouts coming from outside. Drayton walked up to Maggie and whispered in her Ear, “Go get my gun.” Maggie wordlessly walked toward the basement door.

“Heres your room sir.” Nick said, opening the guest room door and walking in. Shane looked around, it was small with a queen sized bed and a small, old T.V.

“Thank you young man.” Shane said.

“Your welcome.” Nick said smiling, and began to walk off.

“Kid, come back here.” Shane said, looking out a window.

“Yes, sir?”

“Your fathers not gonna tell you so I will. None of us are long for this world. I can feel it. Those people, are going to get inside this house sooner or later.”

“What are you saying.”

Shane turned to look at Nick, “Now I can tell, my time on this earth is running low, everyones is, but mine is lower than others.” Shane reached for something clipped to his pants, a gun, and handed it to Nick. “Take this. I was stupid not to use it when I was attacked. Don’t make that same mistake.”

“Sir, thats a gun.” Nick said.

“I know what it is. Take it, your going to need it. And don’t tell your father I gave it to you.”

Nick reached out and took the gun out of Shanes hand, “I wont.”

“Good man.” Shane said, he climbed into the bed “Now give me some peace, I feel hot, need some rest.”

Nick walked back downstairs where Maggie and his father were arguing.

“You can’t just go out on the porch and start shooting people.” Maggie said.

“Maggie, these people obviously have violent intentions.” Drayton said, loading a clip into his scoped hunting rifle “I’m not going to let them harm you. Your my daughter, Nicholas is my son. I’m going to keep you safe, no matter what I have to do.”

“Why don’t you call the police then?”

“Don’t you think I tried that? I did it when you were in the basement. I kept getting the busy tone, something tells me we aren’t the only one with this problem.”

“Well than whats your full plan?”

“I’m gonna shoot those people out there, then You and Nick are going to head to the boat. I’ll get Shane, and then we will all leave together.”

“You can’t be serious? What about Mom?” 

“I’ll leave a note.” Drayton said, looking down “There’s nothing else we can do for her. She’s probably in the city right now, probably safe.”

“You make me sick.” Maggie said.

Drayton didn’t say a word, he just went out on the porch and started shooting at the people trying to break into his house.

Maggie began packing everything she felt she would need. A phone, some make-up, clothes, medicine, water, some bathroom supplies, etc. She helped Nick do the same, though he was more resistant to leaving.

“I don’t see why we have to go.” Nick said.

“Because Dad said so.” Maggie answered.

“He thinks it would be best if we were to take the boat to Blue Water. He thinks it would be even better if we went to the city.” They both heard another shot go off, they both cringed.

“How big is this thing?” Nick asked.

“It’s big.”

“Are we going to be okay?”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine, Dad seems to know what he’s doing.”

Drayton pulled the bolt back on his rifle. He removed the empty clip and loaded in another one. He scanned over the yard, there were five left. He had been noticing a difference. Some were fast, and some were slow. Some went down with a bullet to the chest, some didn’t even flinch unless it was in the head. Drayton aimed down the scope and shot another one. It collapsed to the ground, and Drayton pulled the bolt on the rifle. He aimed down the cope again, and began hearing breathing behind him. He drew his pistol and turned around. He saw a man, standing behind him. Arms at his sides, head tilted down, but eyes looking right at Drayton. His face was covered in blood, and his skin was decayed.

“Who the hell are you people?” Drayton asked.

“Your worst nightmares.” The man said, his face turning to a grin. He rushed forward and knocked Drayton over. Drayton kicked him back, stood up, and shot him in the head, causing his body to fall over the side of the balcony. He then returned to his sniping duties, until the grounds were completely clear of any life.

“Nick! Maggie! Get down here, we are leaving.” Drayton shouted. Nick and Maggie ran down the stairs and walked too the front door. Drayton handed them a ring of keys. “Go out and start the boat up. Shane and I will be right there.”

“Alright, get there fast.” Maggie said.

“I will.”

Drayton ran up the stairs, “Come on Shane! Let’s go!” He was shouting. He opened Shane’s door, and found him lying face down on the bed. “Come on Shane, this is not the time for a nap.” Drayton said. He bent down and turned Shane on his back. He looked into Shane’s eyes, bloodshot with blood all over his mouth.

“Oh hell no.” Drayton said. Shane screeched and jerked toward Drayton, tackling him down. Drayton tried to fight him off, but Shane managed to bite a chunk out of his arm. “F**k!” Drayton shouted. He kicked Shane square in the chest to get him off of him. While Shane was recovering from the strike, Drayton drew his pistol, and shot Shane in the head.

Drayton ran downstairs, putting pressure on his bite mark. He stumbled on the stairs and smacked against the wall. His vision was blurring as he made his way down the stairs. He got down to the first floor and grabbed the gauze off of a small table in the corner. He stumbled towards the door, wrapping gauze around his wound as he went.He then ran out the front door.

Drayton ran across the yard to the boat garage. Inside, he found Nick and Maggie waiting outside the boat.

“Dad finally!” Maggie said “Get in, we have to go!”

“I’m... not going.” Drayton said, silently.

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked. She and Nick moved closer to him.

“I can’t go. I’m going to become one of those things.”

“Dad...” Nick said, running up to him and hugging him. Maggie began to tear up and did the same.

“Now, now you too. I don’t want you to remember me through mourning.”

“What are we supposed to do then?” Nick asked, tears rolling down his face.

“Remember me, by surviving.” Drayton said, clasping Nick and Maggie on their shoulders. “I love both of you, but it’s time for you two to go.”

“We love you too Dad.” Maggie said.

“We really do.” Nick added.

“I know.” Drayton said, pulling the two in for one last hug. The three then heard the screams of more creatures approaching the house. “You two have to go. Now.”

“Good-bye Dad.” They both said.

“Good-bye kids.”

Drayton walked out onto the porch and looked over the water. He drew his rifle and aimed down the scope at the boat out in the water. He saw Nick standing in the back, waving good by to him. Drayton smiled and waved back. He then lowered the rifle, and set it against a wall. He sat down in one of the deck chairs and took his pistol out. He looked down the barrel, and placed it against his forehead. He then pulled the trigger.

Maggie and Nick drove the boat towards Blue Water, even as they heard the gunshot ring out. They never once looked back.

Author's Note

Any critique other than grammar is welcome. I think the story goes a little too fast at the ending, but I want to see what others think.
Nov. 20th Update: Added more detail to some areas

Reviews

[Malychyte]

Yeah! Cool concept! Can't go wrong with infections, haha. Yeah, I agree it did seem to zoom through it pretty fast. I can't believe I'm saying this because I'm really not one to judge for details and I know how tiring they can be but maybe add a little more. Like for instance the sentence, "Drayton ran downstairs, putting pressure on his bite mark. He wrapped some gauze around it, and then ran out the front door." - that was...pretty fast action I think haha! But again, I do the same thing. But yeah, I like the feeling of the kid characters, they seemed pretty lively. Drayton seemed quite laid back, even though he also seemed quite intelligent and thoughtful, kinda making him a complicated character, unfortunately he didn't last long :/ But all-round, still very cool! Will there be more of this one?

[Broken Wings]

Wow! That was quite amazing! I love it, I flows well! Nicely done :)